Air Guard for a 36 year old?

[Smoothice]

Hi,
Maybe its the fact that my company just took pay cuts, or perhaps I am kicking myself for not doing what I should have in college, but SOMETHING made me look up age maximums for the Air National Guard. I found out that they changed it from 34 to 39 just recently. Now, I am 36.

I am an athletic guy, Im 6 ft 2 and currently 235. I don't consider myself overweight, in fact I think I look pretty 'normal' when I wear my CAP/USAF BDU's. I am college educated and a certifed pilot. The one thing that scared me into not doing it before was history of childhood Asthma (it does not affect me now). That aside, I also have a surgically repaired ankle from a hockey injury. No big deal, I still skate and everything else. Would that be an automatic no-no? Are there waivers of some sort?

So, what do you think? Should I avoid the dissapointment of a recruiter saying "are you serious?" CAP has been great for me, a way of living the life I WANTED but was too young and stupid to realize what I was throwing away!

Before I go to a recruiter for info, I figured I would toss this your way and see what you thaught...

thanks!

[SilverEagle2]

Ask him what the max age for the UAV pilots are. Otherwise, you are too old for a pilot seat. I'd like to know on the UAV side though.

[Smoothice]

I was not looking to fly PER SE...

I was just curious becuase I am not sure how my current job status will take me

[Cecil DP]

Talk to the recruiter and tell them everything you've mentioned in the forum, you may need a medical waiver on your ankle, so when you've made up your mind bring your doctors evaluation of the ankle. Check to see what jobs are available to you, both enlisted and dark side. Ask if your degree allows for advanced grade upon enlistment. Last, but not least, visit the unit you're thinking of joining and see them in action. Ask the people there how they like the unit and if they would advise joining it, especially talk to the people who are in the section you'd be working in.

P.S. Ask where they are in the mobilization cycle, nice to know if you're going to Asia in the near future.

[RADIOMAN015]

Hi,
Maybe its the fact that my company just took pay cuts, or perhaps I am kicking myself for not doing what I should have in college, but SOMETHING made me look up age maximums for the Air National Guard. I found out that they changed it from 34 to 39 just recently. Now, I am 36.

I am an athletic guy, Im 6 ft 2 and currently 235. I don't consider myself overweight, in fact I think I look pretty 'normal' when I wear my CAP/USAF BDU's. I am college educated and a certifed pilot. The one thing that scared me into not doing it before was history of childhood Asthma (it does not affect me now). That aside, I also have a surgically repaired ankle from a hockey injury. No big deal, I still skate and everything else. Would that be an automatic no-no? Are there waivers of some sort?

So, what do you think?

You don't meet the weight/height standards for the USAF therefore, the ANG/AFRES (which is 214 lbs).  Until you meet standards no recruiter can process you for anything.  Basically it would be a waste of their time when they've got many well qualified physically fit unemployed applicants coming through the door

History of childhood resolved asthma may require an evaluation.   Repaired ankle will like require an ortho consult with appropriate records & the MEPS may take a new xray.

There's a lot of fine people I've meet in CAP that because of various chronic physical problems can't get into the service, but with may of them I would have been happy to have them serving with me in my military career :clap:     
RM

[Gunner C]

You don't meet the weight/height standards for the USAF therefore, the ANG/AFRES (which is 214 lbs).

Hard to believe they don't take body-fat content into consideration.  I enlisted from the Army Guard to the active Army.  I had just gotten out of SF school and was in monster shape.  I was over the weight tables by at least 10 pounds but the doctor at the examination station wrote me a waiver as "muscular" for my enlistment.

[Майор Хаткевич]

^^^ The Army does the neck/body measurements on those who are over the line.

[Gunner C]

^^^ The Army does the neck/body measurements on those who are over the line.

Not so fast, grasshopper . . .

Times were when, in the army, there were no neck/body measurements.  You were either over the limit or under. Later, the army went to a "pinch" test and later went to the neck/waist measurements. The current tables are screening  tables.  I actually had to lose body muscle mass for my next weigh-in.  Those who were muscular and short had a heck of a time staying in the military. This was 1977 BTW.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Never said it wasn't like that. You know the standards are low when you are taking in 25th Percentile ASVAB Scores.

That said, the best people to talk to about the test are the recruiters. They know the tricks on how to make your neck bigger.

Not that it won't slot you for the PFT battalion at Basic.

[Flying Pig]

Ask him what the max age for the UAV pilots are. Otherwise, you are too old for a pilot seat. I'd like to know on the UAV side though.

The max age for UAV pilots are the same for "other" USAF Pilots.  All UAV pilots in the Air Force are qualified USAF pilots.  As far as being the enlisted sensor operator, I checked the unit at March ARB in Riverside CA and learned that although its "part time" there is NOTHING part time about it. It required a 1 yr OJT after the school. Those guys do it pretty much full time.
You are to old for a commission at 36.  But you are not to old to enlist.  Being a civilian pilot wont do anything for you but having a degree may get you something.  Talk to a Guard Recruiter because some things the guard does and accepts are different.  As far as "to old"  the Air Guards max age is 39 if you are not prior service. When you get to training, dont expect any special treatment because you are older and have a degree.  Nobody cares in a training environment.

I just had a deputy buddy of mine enlist as a Munitions Tech at age 35 non prior service and and another enlist as Intelligence.  One has a Bachelors and the other has a Masters and both will be E-3's.   If you are interested, talk to the recruiter and then talk to the guys who do the job you are interested in.  Keep in mind also, the length of time until your tech school.  Right now, at the local Air Guard unit, F-16 Crew Chief enlistees are waiting over a year for tech school.  Heading to Basic and then returning to their units and then waiting for school to start.

As far as a recruiter asking you if you are serious?  They arent going to ask that and if they were to ask tell them "Yes." Stop thinking about it and just go get the information and make a decision. 

[Tubacap]

This got me thinking about joining the ANG again.  Has anyone done AMS?  I know that it just moved to Maxwell.  What was it like?

[Flying Pig]

Whats AMS?  Not that I know, just curious.

[adamblank]

My understanding is AMS is going away.  All personnel will be going through the OTS program at Maxwell.

[PHall]

Whats AMS?  Not that I know, just curious.

Air Guard OTS. Just got moved to Maxwell and merged into the "regular" OTS.

[Tubacap]

It looked like from the press releases that AMS was just being co-located, but the program was going to remain an intact 6 week officer accession program.  Just use the same facilities and share instructors.

[Stonewall]

For your (our) height, you need to weigh in at 214 to get into the AF.  Once in, weight is not a factor, just your belly line for the PT test.  I understand these days, AF/ANG recruiters are wanting their recruits to be as much as 10 lbs UNDER the max weight standard because if you're 213 at MEPS, you may be 215 at Lackland AFB in-processing and get sent home.

I too am 6' 2" and weigh in at around 215, sometimes up to 220 depending on season.  Thing is I smoke the AF PT test (not just pencil whip it).  But if I were to be a new recruit, I'd have to be under 214. 

Where is JayBird?  He's on CAP Talk and enlisted in AF Reserves as a load master at age 36.  My wife enlisted in the Guard at age 30 with the only issue being the young'uns who were highly immature and high maintenance.  Naturally they give the more mature recruits extra responsibility in BMT/Tech School.  My wife loves it, has been in 7 years now and is about to pin on TSgt.  She too has a college degree, smoked the AFOQT but didn't want the part-time headaches so she stayed enlisted.

I say if you qualify, go for it.  You'll deal with very immature people at the lower levels, especially at the beginning, but it's well worth it.

TSgt Stonewall
Air National Guard

[notaNCO forever]

They want you to at least be 5 pounds under your max weight before going to basic.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

It doesn't cost anything to go see a recruiter and ask.

Yes, they have to adhere to Air Force standards, but joining the Guard is more like being hired to fill a specific post.  If they have a position available at the unit, they MAY be willing to work with you about height/weight standards, giving you some leeway to bring them down before signing you up and sending you to BMT.

At BMT, you will stick out.  That can be positive or negative.  Some MTI's will look at your age as being more mature, and assign you to a position like dorm chief.  Or you may get a 25 year old SrA who will look at you as an opportunity to bust the chops of an "old guy."

But again, there's no harm in asking.  Good luck.

[Mustang]

All UAV pilots in the Air Force are qualified USAF pilots.

Not anymore. The first class of non-SUPT-trained UAV pilots pinned on their wings at Creech AFB, NV, at the end of September. 

[desertengineer1]

This got me thinking about joining the ANG again.  Has anyone done AMS?  I know that it just moved to Maxwell.  What was it like?

I attended AMS in 1998 (Mghee Tyson).  I barely made it for Navigator training (turned 27.5 about a month after entering the school).  Got nabbed as being one of the "old guys" 

Disclaimer:  I do not represent recruiters here.  They are the experts.  This is opinion only. 

I beleive 36 is above the age limit for "standard" enlistment.  Exceptions are made for some career fields like chaplain and medical through age waivers or policy exceptions approved by NGB.  You're definately too old for flying careers (usually maximum of 27.5 years).  I think UAV ops is 30 with prior service, but am not sure.

With that said, we had some guys in AMS older than 35.  Talk to the recruiters.

I have heard the main reason for age limits is statistics.  The average member entering in thier 30's is going to have a hard time making 20 years of service before health issues come around - compared to those entering at age 18.  When you reach 20 years, for example, you'll be four years from mandatory retirement.